1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates, in general, to a method of controlling the gait of a wearable robot by which a variety of control algorithms are applicable depending on respective states of the wearable robot, so that a wearer can feel a sense of stability and an effect of reduced weight.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present disclosure relates to a gait control algorithm which assists the gait of a wearer whose wearing lower limbs of a wearable robot including an object having an unknown weight.
The wearable robot can be in a standing erect state and a walking state.
Therefore, it is required to maintain the posture of the robot having an unknown weight in an initial standing erect state, and respective control algorithms for a support leg and a swinging leg are required in the walking state.
In the related art, a technology was disclosed by KR 10-1179159 B1 “FOOT SENSOR DEVICE OF WEARABLE ROBOT AND METHOD OF UNDERSTANDING INTENTION OF GAIT OF WEARER.” In this document, a foot sensor device includes a first sensor disposed in an area of the upper surface of a foot member of the wearable robot where toes of a foot of a wearer are positioned, a second sensor disposed in an area of the upper surface of the foot member where the ball of the foot of the wearer is positioned, a third sensor disposed in an area of the upper surface of the foot member where the heel of the foot of the wearer is positioned, and a controller which determines the intention of the gait of the wearer based on signals from the first to third sensors. The first to third sensors turn on when a load is applied thereto and turn off when no load is applied thereto. The controller determines that the foot of the wearer is off the ground when all of the first to third sensors are off, determines that the wearer is in a plantar-flexion state when the first sensor is on and the second and third sensors are off, determines that the wearer is in a heel strike state when the first and second sensors are off and the third sensor is on, and determines that the wearer is standing with the entire sole of the foot attached to the foot member when each of the first to third sensors is on.
The present disclosure proposes a gait control algorithm which can minimize the number of sensors used for controlling the gait of a wearable robot.
The information disclosed in the Background of the Disclosure section is only for enhancing the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms prior art that would already be known to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Patent Document 1: KR 10-1179159 B1